National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan - The Secretary ...

SECURITY
1. OVERVIEW
The Government of Afghanistan takes a broad, holistic view of national and human security. For
the Government of Afghanistan, security includes security sector reform, good governance, rule
of law and peace-building. The Government recognizes the importance of putting all Afghan
citizens - women and men alike - at the center of its approach to security concerns. Respect for
human rights and the dignity of every person is the starting point of the Government‘s approach
to security, which entails creating a life free from violence and fear for its citizens where basic
needs are met and fundamental rights are respected and safeguarded. The government also
recognizes and supports the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in
“reaffirming the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and
peacebuilding, and stressing the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in
all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security and the need to increase their
role in decision making with regard to conflict prevention and resolution.”
Lack of security continues to be a central obstacle to socio-economic development and
establishing rule of law despite the government‘s initiatives to consolidate security throughout the
country, its numerous development programs, and the support it receives from the International
Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Coalition forces. Factional and ethnic fighting, the ongoing
insurgency and organized crime present pervasive
threats to the daily lives of Afghan citizens. Poverty,
displacement, unequal development investment, the
impunity under which military and political figures
operate, powermongering, and trafficking of drugs,
children, women and men further exacerbate
Afghanistan‘s lack of security.
Women and girls bear the adverse effects of insecurity
disproportionately. In periods of conflict and instability,
armed groups often use violence against civilians as a
tactic for intimidating the local population. While men
and boys are also targets, women and girls are more
commonly victims of gender-based violence, including
rape, forced miscarriage, and sexual slavery. Insecurity
GOAL
To build and sustain a secure
environment that enables
women to live a life free from
intimidation, fear and violence
and which supports their
participation and leadership in
promoting and maintaining
peace and security.
allows powerful individuals to act with impunity in the face of women‘s vulnerability, including
maltreatment of women in custody by police officers and other officials. Recent studies reveal
that domestic violence increases during or after conflict due to a surfeit of weapons, the
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